Rival teams began to hear Nikola Jokic’s patience was wearing thin with Nuggets?

All the while, Malone’s choice to continue supporting Westbrook — despite the frustration he was causing on and off the floor — ultimately led to a loss of credibility among the team’s key players. It was one thing when Malone handled Jokić and Murray with more leniency than the rest of their group, but affording Westbrook that sort of treatment, even with his Hall of Fame resume, wasn’t received well by some. That dynamic intensified recently, starting with Russell Westbrook’s meltdown against Minnesota on April 1 in which his late-game blunders cost Denver the win and spoiled Jokić’s 60-point triple-double. After a brutal Jokić turnover late in a loss to Indiana on Sunday, when he and Westbrook miscommunicated up top and the big man’s pass flew out of bounds, Malone defended his veteran point guard in a way that was seen by some as a shot at the team’s young talents. -via New York Times / April 10, 2025

Bennett Durando: Nikola Jokic on the Nuggets firing Michael Malone and Calvin Booth: “I knew a little bit before everybody. And (Josh Kroenke) told me, ‘We made a decision.’ So it was not a discussion. It was a decision, and he told me why. So I listened and I accept it.” -via x.com / April 10, 2025

EuroHoops: 👀🗣️ Nikola Jokic speaks out for the first time since Coach Malone’s firing!: People say we are vulnerable, but the beast is always most dangerous when they’re vulnerable. So maybe he woke the beast. -via x.com / April 10, 2025